ABSTRACT
Groundwater is a finite and irreplaceable resource that is fundamental to urban water security and only renewable if well-managed. An inclusive urban groundwater governance, which includes clear policy, regulations and guidelines, is mandatory for the well-coordinated and sustainable use of this precious resource by different stakeholders. The coronaviruses (SARS CoV, MERS and SARS-CoV-2) have not been detected in groundwater yet but has been detected in the faeces of individuals infected with coronavirus. Therefore, the spread of coronaviruses is closely related to wastewater and sanitation. Secured facility for clean water, sanitation and hygienic conditions is a basic requirement for protecting human health during this pandemic outbreak, especially in urban areas, already under stress due to the higher water insecurity. Thus, protecting wellheads, maintaining a safe distance from septic tanks or sewer lines, reusing and recycling of water, reducing wastage of water, managing the quality to be used as drinking water and ensuring the safeguarding from any contamination can have a positive impact during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This chapter aimed to summarize and analyse the adequacy of the already existing governance frameworks for allocation and management of groundwater for the purpose of its use as drinking water, by assessing the various international policies, regulations, guidelines as well as management practices for both the current pandemic situation and post-COVID-19 world in the light of urban water security. The objectives are to investigate the criteria and considerations for effective groundwater governance and exploring the gaps in existing policy guidelines to overcome the barriers to inclusive groundwater governance for the time of pandemic and beyond, particularly in the urban system.
